


Home is Where the Heart Lives

by godcomplexfics (godtiercomplex)



Series: The World Keeps Turning On Its Axis [17]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Coma, Dysfunctional Family, Gen, South Asia Family Funtimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-12 21:20:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4495134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godtiercomplex/pseuds/godcomplexfics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nalin falls into a mysterious coma much to the surprise of his family. Days turn into weeks, and everyone starts losing hope he’ll ever wake up again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home is Where the Heart Lives

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday to APH Pakistan and APH India! It's their independence days depending on when this posted. 
> 
>  
> 
> Ammi=mother, aiya=big brother, mali=little brother, bhai=brother
> 
> Kasem is Thailand, Fairuza is Iran

Nations, Tashi knew, had their limits. He tried his hardest to make Nalin aware of his own, but his brother refused to listen. That’s how he explained the situation to Keshini, who was the first to arrive at the hospital. For all of their bickering, she and Nalin were close. She looked worried as she looked down at the hospital bed where their older brother was sleeping, and then frowned at Tashi.

“He’s been like this for three days?”

Tashi sighed, “I wasn’t made aware until yesterday. I called everyone as soon as I found out.” He adjusted the covers around Nalin as Keshini took a seat and crossed her arms.

“What do they think is wrong with him?”

“They don’t know exactly. Nations aren’t like humans, so it’s not like their tests can find out a lot.”

“What do you think is wrong with him?”

“I don’t know,” Tashi said, and he was surprised at how sad the words came out. He couldn’t afford to be sad or show that to his family. They would be counting on him to be his usual self. He cleared his throat, and gave Nalin one last look.

Nalin was surrounded by pillows the way he liked it, and his covers were halfway up his chest but not all the way up. He had on pajamas that Tashi had brought from his home instead of the hospital clothes. He wasn’t waking up, but his vital signs were all checking out as normal. Tashi wasn’t sure what to say or do with these facts. He wasn’t even sure if he should have called the rest of the family about it.

However, Nalin had been like this for three days already, and that was only three days that they were aware of. Tashi hadn’t personally heard from Nalin in almost week, and while that wasn’t unusual during summer months, it had been concerning him.

“He looks weird like this,” Keshini said, a frown on her face, and fear in her eyes, “They said they don’t know why he’s like this?”

“No--”

“They can’t tell us if he’s going to die or anything?” Keshini crossed her legs and Tashi sighed.

“He can’t die, he’s India,” Tashi said, “Even if he does die, well, he’ll come back. But he’s not going to die.”

“But he’s been like this for three days already. How do we know he’s not dead?” Keshini asked, and it was a valid concern, so Tashi tapped fingers on Nalin’s heart monitor and sighed.

“He’s breathing, and his vital signs check out.”

Keshini didn’t look convinced, but Tashi didn’t blame her. He had been just as worried, but for now all they could do was wait.

“He’ll wake up soon. Maybe not within the next hour, but soon,” Tashi promised her.

* * *

 

 

Keshini looked at Tashi and sighed, “Go take a nap somewhere.”

“A nap? Why?”

“You haven’t slept since you got the news, have you?” she couldn’t help the tone in her voice, as she mildly scolded him and watched their big brother with a frown.

“You don’t need to mother me, Ammi,” Tashi said lightly, but he also wasn’t denying the no sleep thing.

“You can’t fall apart just because this idiot decided to. Go back to his house and sleep.”

“I can’t just leave,” Tashi protested.

“I’m here, and the others should be here soon. And like you said, it’s not likely he’ll wake up in the few hours it takes you to rest.” Keshini smirked at him as Tashi sighed, and stopped hovering over Nalin.

“I was planning on explaining the situation to everyone as they arrived,” Tashi gave one final protest. It was a weak one, so Keshini ignored him, and folded her arms until he sighed. “Alright, I’ll go to the house and sleep for a bit. Please call me if he wakes up.”

“I will, now go.”

Tashi reluctantly went, and she smiled.

“Nalin-aiya,” she sighed, “What are we supposed to do with you?”

Her normally annoying older brother was silent, and only the sound of machines greeted her. She ended up turning on the tv as she waited. His hospital room was well equipped--only the best for her brother even if he wasn’t awake to enjoy it.

She got lost in a soap as she waited for any movement from Nalin’s bed. There was nothing.

“Nalin?” A familiar voice said, and she turned to see Afghanistan, or Afia standing in the doorway. She had on a purple hijab, and looked distressed as she took in Nalin.

“He’s just sleeping,” Keshini reassured her.

“He looks so small,” Afia whispered as she took a seat.

“He is only 164 cm,” Keshini said, gathering back her control and hiding her worries as she tried to comfort the younger girl. “He’ll be okay.”

She wasn’t sure if she believed that, but she had to. Her and Nalin still had a lot more of the world to see. He wouldn’t just abandon her now, she was sure.

But he looked so frail in the hospital bed, it wasn’t hard to imagine they were attending a wake instead of attending to him at his hospital room. It wasn’t hard to imagine a lot of things. But, unlike her siblings, her imagination wasn’t overactive. She dealt in logic and facts. (Or tried to at any rate.)

“Three days?” Afia said, touching Nalin’s hands, and letting go of them after a bit. Nalin didn’t stir. Afia took her seat again and sighed.

“Probably longer. That was just when his boss’s people found him in the living room.” Keshini was honest because Afia wasn’t a child for all that everyone thought overwise. She deserved to know how serious it was.

“I see. . .oh, Nalin,” Afia said and left it at that.

“He’s just being dramatic,” Keshini said, “He’ll wake up before we know it.”

* * *

 

The wind was blowing carefully through the trees as Nalin made his way upwards. It felt as if the climb would never end but he knew that it worth it. At the top was a place he wanted to go more than anything. He just had to keep walking.

* * *

 

 

Emran hovered outside of the hospital room as he listened to his fellow relatives talk. Sana, Keshini and Afia were all inside, laughing over a soap opera, and he could see Nalin’s feet from where he was standing. He wasn’t sure if he should enter or not. Tashi had sounded calm on the phone but their kind didn’t just sleep for three days unless they had died or were dying. It made no sense.

Nalin was supposed to be someone that was unstoppable no matter what. Emran should know, he had tried.

He sighed, and rubbed a hand to his stomach as he considered going to his hotel instead.

“Something wrong?” A low voice reached his ears, and he turned around to see Akmal standing there, a frown on his face.

“Besides the obvious?” Emran replied, defenses coming up as he looked up at Akmal. It drove him crazy sometimes how cruel the years had been to him mentally and physically while it hadn’t been as cruel to people like Akmal and Nalin. But he didn’t focus on that as he heard laughter again from the hospital room, and sighed.

“Man, I was just asking if there was a reason you were standing outside the room. Like, is there a limit or something?”

“I don’t know,” Emran said, “Tashi called you too then?”

Akmal just continued frowning, and sighed, “He said it was important. Asked if I’d . . .”

“Done anything?” Emran suggested. No one knew why Nalin was like he was, but if there any guesses, he supposed the first place to turn would be Nalin’s self-declared enemy.

“No,” Akmal said, “I didn’t do anything to him. He just asked if I would come.”

Tashi was that type of person, after all, Emran guessed. He sighed, and looked back inside the room. Afia spotted him, and beckoned him inside. Keshini saw him, and he groaned as she stood up.

“This will be fun,” Emran muttered, as she made her way towards them.

“Hey,” she said, “They’re taking him down for some tests in a bit, so why don’t we go get lunch? I’ll call Tashi on the way down, see if he’s sleeping yet.”

“Tashi’s not here?” Akmal asked before Emran could.

“Mali is at Nalin’s house resting up. He’s the only one with a key so,” Keshini shrugged.

“That’s okay, I rented a hotel,” Emran said, “I didn’t think it’d be right to stay at his house while he’s like this.” He didn’t think it’d be a smart idea period. That house held too many memories of what life had been like after the war, and during it.

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. His house is big enough to hold all of us,” Keshini said, “But do as you like.” She looked back into the room, and he could see that her voice was softening a bit, “He hasn’t stirred or spoken or done anything yet.”

“Tashi said there wasn’t a real reason why he was like this?” Akmal asked, and Emran waited on Keshini to respond.

“We don’t even really know how long he’s been like this,” Keshini said, “But he’ll be okay. He’s always been okay in the end.” She said to reassure them.

But the last time Nalin hadn’t woken up in three days, it was because he had died in Emran’s place. Emran’s hands tightened into fists and he went into the room to stare down at his brother.

Nalin was sleeping without a care, and his chest was rising steadily up and down as Emran watched.

“Doesn’t he look small?” Afia asked, and Emran agreed. The brother he was used to, the brother that he had fought against, and fought with for so long, was bigger than the man sleeping in the bed. He was bigger than all of them, personality and people wise. It was frightening seeing him like this. It was bringing back memories he didn’t want brought back.

“Yes,” Emran settled on saying, and adjusted the covers around Nalin, “he does.”

* * *

_“Nalin hasn’t woken up in three days. I’m here now with him, and if you would like to be here for him, you should come.”_

_“Not going to ask if I did something to cause that?”_

_“No. I won’t.”_

Nalin was tiny, like Afia insisted, and like Emran confirmed. Akmal had been more than aware of their height differences since he had grown taller than him during the time he had lived with him. He had continued to be aware during the times that they had fought. Nalin was so much shorter than him, but so much stronger.

Now all Akmal could think as he saw Nalin on the bed was how fragile he looked. And how wrong that was. Nalin was many things, but not fragile. If he was, he would have broken a long time before now. If Nalin could be seen as fragile, what the fuck did that make Akmal?

(He lived his life in comparison to his larger neighbor and someday soon he would stop, but it was so hard when those were the footsteps he was trying not to follow in. He wanted to become something better than what he had escaped from.)

“Akmal, we’re going to get lunch, are you coming?” Keshini asked.

“Um, sure,” he stopped staring at Nalin from his chair, and stood up as nurses and technicians came into the room.

“We’re still not sure,” the nurse said in response to Keshini’s questions, “But we will figure it out. Your brother will be back to you sooner than later.” She looked around the room in curiosity, “More of his family?”

“Yes,” Keshini said.

“He’ll like that. They can hear you, you know,” the nurse smiled, “Take turns talking to him, he’ll appreciate that. Now, sorry but we’re taking him for some tests.”

“That’s fine, we’re off to lunch. C’mon guys,” Keshini said, and ushered them all from the room.

“Where are we going?” Sana asked as Akmal looked back at the room.

Keshini pushed a button for an elevator and it soon arrived.

At the small, family-owned restaurant, they crowded around two tables, and talked quietly to each other. Keshini sat next to him, and asked if he’d told Yao yet. He was surprised to admit that he had just been focused on making it to India and hadn’t yet.

“You better soon, before he hears it from someone else.” Keshini said. She sighed, “I don’t know who’s going to tell the rest of his friends.”

“I can tell Japan!” Sana volunteered, “Or wait who else counts as his friends?”

“There’s Kasem, Russia, Fairuza, France and,” Keshini trailed off, “That’d be a lot of people in his hospital room if we called everyone.”

“Who’s to say they’d even show up?” Emran asked.

“We should still probably inform them,” Afia said, “It’s the least we can do.”

“. . . oh!” Sana said.

“What?” Akmal grumbled, looking up from his text to Yao. Sana looked tense for a moment when their eyes met, before she shook it off and clicked her tongue.

“England? Will we have to call him?”

“No,” Keshini said, “He doesn’t get to see him like this.”

Akmal agreed, and Keshini finished making a decent sized list of people who did deserve to know first hand next to him.

“Who will call everyone?” Emran asked.

“We’ll take turns,” Keshini said, “Now, text Tashi for me and tell him that there’s no news on Nalin yet.”

Yao texted him back a sad face, and then called. Akmal stepped outside, the city unfamiliar to him, and yet familiar at the same time.

“He’ll be okay, batie,” Yao said, “He’s died before and came back, he’s fine.”

“But there’s no reason for him to have died,” Akmal said, “Everything’s perfect here.”

“Hmm, if that’s how you want to see it,” Yao sighed, “Well, he’ll be okay. Do you want me to come? I know you said your siblings were all there.”

“You don’t have to come,” Akmal said slowly, “Unless you want to see Nalin, I guess.”

“I’d come for the both of your sakes.”

“You don’t have to come,” Akmal said after a small pause.

“Alright, batie, I love you. Take care.”

* * *

“Good morning,” Aahan said, and Nalin smiled at his brother before turning back to Sana. She was painting a description of her current class and the people enrolled. Her smile was wide, and her laughter was cheerful as she relayed the facts and her own interpretations.  Nalin sipped his coffee as he listened, and laughed slightly.

“You’ll have to be careful,” he said, “You wouldn’t want to alarm the humans with what you can do.”

Sana shrugged, “Shush, I’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah right,” Aahan said, drinking coffee like it was going out of style.

Nalin sighed as Sana called Aahan a punk.

“Now, now,” Nalin said, “Don’t fight.”

“Then Aahan shouldn’t be doubting me!” Sana said, and stood up, “I’m going to work. Bye bye!”

She left Aahan and Nalin alone with a slam of the door. Nalin sighed.

“Are you going into the office today?” Aahan asked casually.

“For a little bit. Do you want to come with me?”

“Yeah,” Aahan said, “I’d like that.”

Nalin would also like that, so he smiled at him.

“Alright, come in to work with me,” he said with a laugh, “See how your bhai works.”

* * *

“He laughed?” Keshini asked, and glared at Nalin who was sleeping peacefully away. Of course he’d show a reaction, and of course it’d be when they had left. She opened up her phone to text Tashi the news. “How long til he wakes up?”

“That we don’t know,” the nurse said. “But I will say that visiting hours are over at 10. Only one of you can stay overnight.”

Keshini sighed, and looked at most of her siblings, “That’ll be Tashi.”

“Oh?” Sana considered that, and then Nalin, “Isn’t he the one who did that last night? Maybe we should take turns until he wakes up so he’s not alone.”

“What?” Emran asked, “You want us to stay here overnight with him?”

“Why else would Tashi have called us?” Afia asked, “I’m fine with that.”

“Um. . .” Akmal started to say something, but stopped.

“Okay,” Keshini said, “We’ll take turns spending the night. For now, let’s get back to Nalin’s house. Who’s staying tonight?”

Sana waved her hand, “I’ll stay. Everyone else go home. Or, not home, but to Nalin’s house, or your hotels.”

“People are staying at his house?” Akmal asked, looking surprised.

“Why not?” Keshini said, “Tashi has a key.”

“But he’s not awake to give permission.” Akmal just sounded so uncomfortable with the idea.

“I stay at his house all the time,” Keshini said, “But it’s okay, Akmal. You don’t have to stay there if you don’t want to.”

“I’m staying at a hotel too,” Emran said. Afia seconded that. The nurse finished checking Nalin’s signs and left with a reminder that at ten they had to be gone.

“He laughed but didn’t wake up? Is he just sleeping then?” Afia asked, sounding more relieved.

“He is in a coma,” Akmal said.

Before Afia could reply, another person entered the room. Or rather, Tashi holding Niral’s hand entered. Niral didn’t look like they wanted anything to do with the large gathering of people.

But that was just too bad, “Niral!” Keshini called out, firmly as the taller nation attempted to free themselves from Tashi’s grip.

“Oh great,” Niral gave up and came into the room, “I’m here. He’s alive. I’m leaving.”

“He’s alive but not awake. Stay,” Keshini took their other hand, and gave it a squeeze, “Please.”

Niral sighed, “I guess.”

“You said he laughed?” Tashi asked.

“Have you slept?” Keshini asked instead of answering the question. He was wearing new clothes so he’d at least showered, but he didn’t look like he had slept.

“A bit,” Tashi said, “I don’t need much sleep.”

“What did I say earlier?” Keshini muttered, pulling him aside, “I know you care about Nalin more than anyone else, but you can’t let yourself go while he’s like this.”

“I won’t,” Tashi said, keeping his voice low, “I honestly don’t need that much sleep, I promise.”

“Oh, Tashi!” Sana called out, “We’ve decided to take turns watching over Nalin. I’m spending the night today.”

Tashi smiled, “If you’re sure, Sana. That’s fine by me.”

Keshini sighed, patting his shoulder as she said softly, “We care about him too.”

Tashi looked back at her as he shifted towards Nalin, seeming to consider that. Niral was examining the board at the front of his room, while Emran looked at the tv with Afia. Akmal was texting on his phone, and Sana was eagerly discussing the findings of the doctors with Tashi.

A nurse stuck her head inside, and frowned slightly.

It wasn’t the same one as earlier, so Keshini introduced herself with a smile. The nurse returned it.

“Keshini Sinha?” The nurse consulted her chart and then nodded, “I can discuss this with you. If I can talk with you in private for a moment?”

Keshini looked back at the room, and agreed.

“Your brother is an. . . unusual case given his status. What we are best able to determine now is that he suffered a possible stroke, and it triggered this coma. We don’t know if he died or not, but he seems to be fine now. All we can do is wait for him to wake up again.”

“A stroke?” Keshini asked, “From what?”

“We’ll be better able to determine that when Dr. Roy wakes back up.”

“So he’s going to wake back up? You’re sure?” Keshini asked, feeling relief as she got the news. Nalin suffering a stroke was bad, and the coma was bad, but as long as he got the help he needed and woke back up, they would all be fine.

* * *

Aahan was taller than him, and Nalin fake complained about that as they headed into the office. Aahan just laughed and told him to shut up, so Nalin lightly wrapped his fingers against Aahan’s arm and lead him to his office.

“Okay, so sit there,” Nalin said, and Aahan took a seat, and then instantly got up to look out of the windows as Nalin pulled out papers from a file folder on his desk. “Ahhh, why can’t you ever listen?”

“I’m listening,” Aahan said, “But doesn’t it look like it’s going to rain?”

“Well it is the season,” Nalin said, “Now, I’ll need you to listen to me for once. I can’t sign all of these by myself you know.”

“I know, bhai,” Aahan said, and then came over and looked over some of the papers, sighing a bit in that way that teenagers had. “Alright, let’s get to work.”

“Yes, this is as much my job as it is yours.” Nalin said. And it was. They were both India after all. Always had been, and always would be.

His phone rang, so he answered it as he left Aahan to read over the work in silence.

“Hello? Oh, hi Tashi.”

* * *

“Are you sure you’ll be okay here by yourself?” Tashi asked. Sana gave him a big smile.

“I’ll be fine, you go on back to his house. I’ll call if anything changes!” That said, she turned the channel to something she wanted to watch. Tashi sighed. The rest of their siblings had already left, and so it was just him and Keshini. He was reluctant to just leave Nalin in the hospital, even if it was with Sana.

“Tashi,” Keshini called out to him, “Let’s go.”

Tashi gave one last concerned look at Nalin before leaving the room.

They caught a cab to Nalin’s house as Keshini once again repeated what the nurse had told her. She had told the rest of the family earlier, but Tashi still couldn’t believe it. He wondered how Nalin would be affected when he woke up. He wondered if he would wake up. He tried to picture a world in which he wasn’t woken up at 2am by late night calls, and found it a scary thought.

“He’ll be okay,” Keshini said as they drove through the city on their way to Nalin’s house.

“Of course he’ll be. He’s Nalin,” Tashi said, calming himself and removing whatever had given him away to Keshini from his face. He had to remain strong, even if he felt shaken up. He forced himself to be calm as they headed further out to the edges of the city, and Keshini sighed.

“It makes sense in a way, I guess. He is under a lot of stress and pressure,” she said.

“Yes, he is,” And Tashi didn’t exactly help too much with that, did he? He tried to remember the last time he’d simply talked to Nalin and hadn’t lectured him on his health. He’d never expected this to happen. He felt guilty for a long moment until he banished that. His guilt wouldn’t help Nalin. He did a few quiet breaths as Keshini sighed next to him, and texted some people.

“We contacted most of his friends. Some of them expressed interest in stopping by, but we’ll see.”

“Iran will most assuredly come, Russia as well,” Tashi said. “I don’t know if he’ll want them to see him like this.”

“She’s seen him in worse conditions,” Keshini said.

That was true, so Tashi sighed, “Well, he most certainly won’t want Arthur to see him like this.”

“England? I didn’t call him.”

“Alright, well, then who else did you call?”

“We split up the list between those who needed to know as soon as possible and those who didn’t.” Keshini showed him the list, and he nodded in approval.

“That’s about right. Besides us, the rest of the world can hear it through the news--if his government decides to release this information.”

Keshini sighed, “Well, they’ll find out sooner than later. Especially given how close his birthday is.”

“Oh,” Tashi started, “It is close to that time, isn’t it? He’ll hate if he misses it.”

“Then he better wake his ass up!” Keshini got out the car as it came to a stop.

“He can’t help it--”

“I know that,” Keshini said, “But I can’t stop being angry over this. Who does he think he is?”

“It’s not like he asked for this.”

“I never said my anger was rational,” Keshini said with a sigh. She looked up at the house and shook her head as Tashi paid the cab driver. “This house is too big for one man.”

Tashi agreed but, “He has his pets, and he has us when we visit. It’s just right for him.”

“He _doesn’t_ have us. We left him a long time ago, Tashi. Even you left.” Keshini said. Tashi just sighed and opened up the house, then waved her inside. He took off his shoes as she continued ranting, “And what’s this house anyway but a big museum full of artifacts and long dead things?”

“Please tell me you haven’t said that to him. You would have hurt his feelings.”

Keshini was silent, and then headed to the kitchen. For all her complaining, she knew the house well and had tea for the both of them started up within minutes. Tashi sighed, and greeted Nalin’s peacock who was sitting morosely around as if sensing the danger that his master was in.

“There, there,” Tashi said, as he had been saying earlier until the bird had calmed down.

“Oh great, he’s in the house?” Keshini asked with a frown, “Nalin gives him too much freedom.”

“You can’t say you don’t do the same to your own pets.”

Keshini sighed. “Did you eat dinner?”

“With Niral on the way to the hospital. They were grumpy and didn’t want to go without eating.”

“They still came even though their relationship is tense with Nalin, so I guess I can let the grumpiness slide,” Keshini said.

“Spoken like a true elder,” Tashi said, “Akmal is also here.” He had been a bit surprised at that, but in the end he wasn’t that surprised. The relationship between Nalin and Akmal had always been one of complexities that he couldn’t fully understand.

“Of course he is,” Keshini said, “You’ve seen how they’ve been acting recently.”

“They’ve never acted like this before.”

“You try going to war a few times with Nalin and see if you remain so friendly towards him,” Keshini said, taking a seat with her tea and rubbing her shoulder. Tashi sighed, and looked in the fridge. He didn’t bother to point out that he _had_ and was friendly afterwards with Nalin. He knew everyone couldn’t be like him.

“I’m saying that they’ve never acted so uncertain around each other before,” Tashi said, “It was always both of them knowing what they wanted, and clashing about it.”

Keshini sighed, “Typical Nalin.”

“He has always been like that, huh?” Tashi said, laughing slightly as he pulled some chicken out, “I’ll make dinner for you.” It would give him something to do. He needed something, anything to do.

* * *

 

Emran shared a cab with the rest of his siblings to their various hotels. Afia got out first with a wave, and a demand to get called if anything changed. Niral got out next with a few mutters about what an interruption this was, but didn’t sound like they were readying themselves to go home. Soon it was just Emran and Akmal. They sat in awkward silence, until Emran sighed.

“This brings back memories,” Emran couldn’t stop the bitterness in his tone, and maybe Akmal heard it, and maybe he had been thinking the same thing all day. He looked shaken.

“Yeah?” Akmal muttered.

“Do you,” Emran stopped, and frowned, not sure if he wanted to remember, not sure if he wanted to approach this topic with Akmal. “Nevermind.”

“Do I?”

“Nothing,” Emran said, “It was nothing. It was stupid. Don’t worry about it.”

“If you say so,” Akmal said.

They were silent, until Akmal sighed.

“Reminds me of the last time he was like this,” Emran finally said, “He’s never gotten this bad since then.”

“Are you talking about,” Akmal paused and made a gesture with his hands, “That time with England? And the rebellion?”

Emran sighed, “Yeah, that time.” It had been his people, but Nalin had taken the fall for him. And England had taken command swiftly. Emran’s back hurt, an old scar acting up at such a memory. “That was a bad time, and for him to be this off, it’s worrying.”

“Tell me about it,” Akmal muttered, “But it wasn’t me. I haven’t done anything to him.”

“I know,” Emran said. And he could tell from the way Akmal shifted that he had taken some guilt from his brother. They might not know why Nalin was the way he was, but that didn’t mean they had to blame each other. “Besides, the nurse said they think it was a stroke right? You can’t cause that.”

“True,” Akmal said, and he still sounded off, but he didn’t look as bad as earlier. There was a reason why Tashi had called them all, so it wasn’t Emran’s place to judge. Akmal and Nalin’s relationship was as complicated as his with Nalin’s was.

At the end of it all, Nalin was still his older brother above all.

* * *

 

The mountain’s summit was a long way off still, but Nalin knew he had to reach it. Memories were coming to him one after another, but none of them mattered. The mountain was alive underneath his feet. Green grass, and wild bushes lined his path. All he had to do was keep walking and climbing. There was a place he needed to go.

* * *

 

Tashi and Keshini arrived at the hospital just before visiting hours had started. Tashi had woken up early, and Keshini had as well, so there was little point in sticking around Nalin’s empty house. They sent Sana back to the house to change clothes and refresh, and settled into waiting around for the others. Tashi had found Nalin’s phone, and now stuck it on its charger next to his bedside. He knew the passcodes to unlock it for emergencies like this, but resisted.

Keshini yawned, so he told her where the cafe was, and she went. Emran and Akmal showed up, chatting about something, and Tashi wondered what it was about crisis that brought people together.

“Morning,” he said, and the two stopped talking and greeted him in the proper Islamic way. They then settled in chairs, and Emran pulled out his DS to play while they waited.

“Have there been any changes?” Akmal asked.

“Sana didn’t report anything, so I think not.”

 

It continued like that for the rest of the day. Their family members came inside, and asked for news, got none, and then hung around the room or the hospital in general for the remainder of the day until Keshini volunteered to spend the night, and everyone went home.

Tashi just wanted Nalin to wake up. More than anything else, his brother opening his eyes was what he wanted most in the world. His world was off, misaligned with Nalin like this.

He was surprised in the morning when there was a knock on the door, and Russia was there with a suitcase in hand.

“Oh, I can go and stay at a hotel instead,” Russia said.

“No, you can stay,” Tashi said, trying not to sound anything but welcoming. “I must warn you that Sri Lanka and--”

“Who’s that?” Sana asked. She was fully dressed for the day, and was drinking coffee. “Oh, it’s Russia. He really did show up!”

“--Maldives are also here,” Tashi finished.

“Then I really shouldn’t,” Russia said.

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,” Tashi said, “He has a big house for a reason after all.”

He and Russia shared a look, and Tashi wondered if Russia knew why the house was so big; if he knew that Nalin had brought it during a low time, and when his hopes weren’t high. If he knew half the stuff that Tashi knew about Nalin and their family, like Tashi did.

Russia, Ivan, as he insisted on Tashi calling him, settled into a guest room after some small hesitance. Tashi poured him some coffee, and then they all made their way to the hospital.

“Oh,” Russia said when he saw Nalin for the first time. He settled in the chair beside him that Tashi had claimed as his own, and just watched him for a while. Tashi found another chair, and Keshini yawned, but said she was fine and stayed at the hospital until their other siblings arrived.

Russia remained by Nalin’s side, occupying the space that had been Tashi’s, and he was uneasy.

The days passed like this, people stopping in to visit and pay tribute to Nalin, and his fellow South Asians one-by-one started to stay at Nalin’s house. Niral caved first, something about extended hotel fees not being worth it. Afia had to run home, and then after having trouble finding another hotel she stayed at Nalin’s instead. Emran gave up shortly after almost two weeks had passed. But Akmal refused.

“I don’t think he’d want me there,” Akmal said.

“It’s a big enough house, he won’t mind,” Tashi had said but Akmal just shook his head.

* * *

Life was easy, Nalin knew that things could be so much worse than they were. He had his family by his side, and his siblings in his home. They were all happy and content, a big chaotic mess, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

There were no wars to be fought, no invaders to kick out. It was perfect. Just him and his family.

Aahan had attended a human university and earned a degree like Nalin had done. The whole of his family was sitting with Nalin as they watched Aahan walk across the stage to accept his diploma.

“He did it!” Nalin shouted, and Keshini shouted with him. They hugged, and Nalin hugged Tashi too. He hugged his sisters, and Niral and Emran as well.

Afterwards, he hugged Aahan, and congratulated him once more on his degree.

“You can be anything you want to be,” he said.

* * *

 

Akmal was firmly rejecting Keshini’s offer to visit her when a familiar voice called out his name.

Or rather, his no-longer name.

They all turned to the bed, and Akmal was out of his chair as was Tashi. Ivan looked startled, but Tashi asked Akmal to speak to Nalin as Keshini called for the nurse.

“Nalin, Nalin,” Akmal said, “I’m here, what do you want?” Why won’t you wake up? is what he didn’t ask.

“Aahan,” Nalin said, and then fell silent. The nurse came in, and checked him over.

“We’ll take him in for some more tests, but he might be coming out of his coma soon,” he said.

“Why ‘Aahan’?” Emran asked, and Akmal pressed his lips together, and tried not to cry. Whatever Nalin was dreaming about couldn’t possibly be happy. Akmal wiped at his face, and tried to keep it together as the nurse kept running a few tests.

And then, “Aahan,” and it sounded unlike any way Akmal had ever heard Nalin say his name before. He choked back a gasp and tried to get out of the room before he embarrassed himself. But then Yao stepped inside, and they met eyes, and Akmal started crying before he knew it. He didn’t want to cry, but when Nalin said his name all heart broken and sad, he couldn’t help it.

The sobs were huge, and he couldn’t stop them even as he made his way to the doorway.

Keshini touched his back, and he hesitated before moving past Yao and down the hallway. He found the men’s bathroom, and cried until he couldn't anymore inside of the last stall.

Eventually, Yao came for him, and they went and sat in the waiting room until Akmal calmed down more.

“He doesn’t look that bad,” Yao said, “And he’s talking, soon he’ll wake up.”

“But he said my name,” Akmal said, “He’s blaming me for this.”

“Batie, he isn’t. He was smiling when he said it.” Yao rubbed his back, “He doesn’t hate you anymore. You can’t blame yourself for this. He’s old, things like this happen.”

“But,” Akmal started, but Yao shook his head and silenced him with a squeeze to his hand.

He looked at their hands, and sighed.

“It’s not my fault,” he said. “I didn’t cause this to happen.” He repeated those lines until he believed it.

* * *

He was almost at the top of the mountain. He was so tired but he was so close to being at the top that he didn’t have time to give up. He focused on putting one foot in front of the other as he climbed. Soon, he was there. Soon, he was able to rest at last. He laid back, and looked up into the night sky. Stars dotted the sky, spelling out myths that he had learned long ago, and portraying figures that he had only heard of in song before. The universe was greeting him, and he greeted it back.

* * *

They went to get lunch while Nalin was taken for tests. Tashi remained at the hospital, despite Keshini’s demands. Russia, Ivan, did as well. Emran sighed, and looked at all of his family gathered around the same restaurant they had started to haunt. They had taken Iran there, and she had graciously eaten the food. Yao looked right at home as he ate, and chatted with everyone. Akmal was silent after his breakdown. Emran felt something like worry in his chest. It had been that way when they were younger, too. Even though Akmal was bigger than him, he still needed help. Their older brother hadn’t been able to understand that fully.

Nalin’s lack of understanding had lead into more problems than solutions. Yet, Emran knew that his brother had a big heart. Just as he knew that Akmal had one as well. It was why they both cried so easily. Emran hadn’t cried in a long time, but not because his heart was small--but because he had hit a point where tears became meaningless. Action was what he wanted to do. But there wasn’t anything to do when the enemy was Nalin’s own body.

A text arrived from Tashi that merely said, _He opened his eyes._

It was a group text, so everyone else got it but Yao. When Yao read it from Akmal’s phone, he spoke up louder than Sana.

“We should get back to the hospital, right?”

So they went, and Nalin wasn’t back in his room.

Tashi explained that they were running more tests and that he wasn’t fully conscious yet, but was out of the worse danger. Emran took in a breath of relief as Akmal squeezed Yao’s shoulder.

“So,” Akmal asked, “When will we know if he’s waking up fully or not?”

“Soon,” Tashi said, looking relieved, “But opening his eyes was the first step.”

After hearing that news, Emran took a break to smoke for what seemed the first time in weeks. He huddled outside of the hospital, ignored the no smoking signs, and lit up. The first burst of nicotine calmed him down by a lot in the late afternoon, early evening light.

“Where are you going?”  Tashi’s voice was low, but clear to Emran. He peered from his spot to see Tashi and Ivan facing each other. Ivan looked tense. Tashi did as well.

“Something came up and I need to call home for a bit. I’ll come back later. He shouldn’t wake up before then.”

“I see,” Tashi said, body relaxing, “He’d be sad if you weren’t here.”

“I know, that’s why I will come back. I want to be here for him. It’s the least I can do,” Ivan said. Emran put his cigarette back in his mouth as he watched Tashi respond with a quiet, “Thank you.”

After Ivan was gone, Tashi put a hand to his face and shook his head. Emran almost called out to him, but his brother seemed like he needed time alone, to sort out his head. At least, the head holding suggested that.

“You care about Nalin the most, huh?” Emran muttered. Emran also cared about Nalin, but he wasn’t his main source of support--unlike Tashi it seemed. The last weeks had not been kind to his brother. It was if something had been stolen away from him. He was still kind and polite, but it felt frayed, empty. “Oh, Nalin, wake up soon.” We need you.

**  
**  


* * *

 

“Aahan? Where are you going?” Nalin asked. His baby brother had a suitcase in hand, and a small frown.

“I’m just going on a trip,” Aahan said, “I want to know more about this world. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“There’s not much you’ll learn that way,” Nalin said, “I can tell you things, plenty of things.”

 _Stay with me_ , he didn’t say. Aahan just smiled at him, and left.

* * *

 

Tashi was the first person Nalin saw when he woke up. Tashi smiled at his brother, and told him not to move. Tashi called the nurse, and then talked softly to Nalin after giving him some water.  

“You’ve been asleep for almost three weeks,” he said.

“Ah,” Nalin said, “Was that just a dream then?”

“Don’t rush yourself,” Tashi said, “Let it come back slowly to you.”

Nalin considered his words, and Tashi considered him as he waited on the nurse.

“I dreamed everyone lived with me,” Nalin said slowly, “You were training to be a doctor.”

“I’m not, I’m just me,” Tashi said, and Nalin grabbed his hand.

“I’m back,” Nalin said, “I’m here.”

Tashi kissed his hand and squeezed it,“I know, you’re here. Welcome back, brother.”

The nurse came in, and then there was more after her, so Tashi went and called Keshini. It was two in the morning, but she picked up.

“He’s awake and talking.” Tashi said, voice shaken despite his best efforts.

“We’re on our way,” Keshini said.

He went back into the room after talking with Keshini a bit more, and the nurses looked hassled as they spoke to Nalin.

“He’s a nation after all,” Tashi said, voice more steady, “He’ll be fine now that he’s awake. His body just needed to heal.”

“We’re going to run some tests,” one of the nurses said.

“I’m right here,” Nalin complained, “Run the tests if you must, but I’m fine.”

And Tashi believed him. He believed in Nalin’s words because he had to. And if he ended up crying before the rest of the family arrived, that was between him and the monitors in Nalin’s room.

* * *

 

“Wake up, Nalin’s awake,” Keshini said, and Emran grumbled a bit before fully hearing her and waking up.

“He’s awake?”

“And talking about dreams he had, yeah.” She looked at her phone and then showed him a selfie that Tashi and Nalin had taken. Nalin was holding the phone obviously, and Tashi was gently smiling and looking overall less tense than he had in weeks. Emran was surprised to notice the difference.

“Sounds like him. Are we going?”

“Damn right we are. So get up.”

Emran got up, and after Keshini left to wake up more people, got dressed.

He was nervous about seeing Nalin, he realized when they were in the cab to get to the hospital. He didn’t know what shape they’d find him in, if the doctors were right and he would have lost a lot of what had made him Nalin. But, this stroke and coma weren’t due to being a nation and having issues that way. They were due to his own health.

Emran hoped the damage wasn’t severe.

At the hospital, Akmal and Yao were already there. He, his sisters, and Ivan came to a pause outside of the door by Yao’s command and shake of his head. Tashi had also been kicked out.

“Why?” Keshini asked, peering over Yao’s shoulder as best she could.

“I thought they could use this time for themselves before you all came. It’s taking a bit longer than I thought it would.” Yao explained.

“What are they even talking about?” Sana muttered, “I hope Akmal knows not to rile him up.”

“He knows,” Emran said before anyone else could, “He’s not stupid.”

* * *

 

“Tashi filled me in on what I missed,” Nalin said, “I’m sorry to have worried you.”

Akmal didn’t look comfortable, but Yao had insisted that they talk, so Nalin waited.

“I just didn’t want you to be dead, bhai,” Akmal said, tripping over the words in his nervousness.

“Well, I’m not,” Nalin said. He almost said, “We can’t always get what we want.” But left that alone. His dreams were confused with reality. This was Pakistan, and he had left. He was Akmal, and he was no longer the brother under Nalin’s care. He wasn’t Nalin’s Aahan any longer. He hadn’t been for such a long time.

Nalin’s heart and head hurt. But that was no excuse for taking it out on Akmal. He knew better now. He was older and wiser. He wasn’t the man he had been.

“Thank you for coming, I truly appreciate your presence.” He addressed Akmal, but he meant his family in general. Split apart as they were, they had come together for him.

“Um, Nalin, while you were sleeping . . . you said ‘Aahan’, why?” Akmal asked.

Nalin didn’t know how to answer that, but settled on a half truth, “I was dreaming and you were a part of my dreams.”

“I was? Why?”

“Everyone was,” Nalin said.

“But you didn’t say everyone’s names. Just. . . ‘Aahan’.”

“Oh,” Nalin paused, and tried to figure out what to say. There weren’t many ways to admit that he had been dreaming about an Aahan that could never exist. Not with all the blood between them. Not with all he’d done. “I don’t know. I was in a coma.”

“Nalin--.”

“It wasn’t a bad dream,” Nalin said, “I was dreaming about happy things.”

“Oh,” Akmal said, and Nalin sighed, and looked at the date on his whiteboard. And then at the clock on the wall.

“Happy Birthday, Akmal. Sorry that I don’t have a gift ready.”

“You just got out of a coma, don’t worry about it.”

“I’m making you spend your birthday at a hospital, I can’t help but worry.”

“I’m doing it because we’re brothers. I don’t mind as long as you get better.”

“Hmm,” Nalin said, and just that as Yao let the rest of his family invade his room.

Akmal looked relieved up until Sana started singing _Happy Birthday_ in a loud voice and Afia considered getting them a cake.  

This was his family, Nalin thought, and he wouldn’t have them any other way. It was nice that they were able to be together like this, but that was only due to their struggles. They had fought a long time to come to this point.

* * *

 

Keshini watched over her family cheerfully, and was the one to tell Nalin that they had opened all of his gifts that had arrived at the house. The look on his face was one of displeasure and annoyance, and she thought to herself, _Welcome back_.

“Honestly, you shouldn’t have opened up my gifts. I have a system,” Nalin said.

“Tashi showed us how it went,” Keshini said, “We sorted them all out. I even brought a list of what you got.”

Nalin frowned, but accepted the list as everyone else crowded Akmal, and let them talk.

“I haven’t had time to get you anything,” Keshini said, “But I’ll be going out later--”

“That doesn’t matter,” Nalin said, “This is enough.”

He was looking at the rest of their family and friends with joy in his eyes.

Keshini could have said something negative, but she held her tongue. She considered the fact that she had been living in India for the last three weeks, and hadn’t hated it completely. She had never spent so much time with her family before this. And to think it took Nalin’s illness to bring them together.

“Yeah,” she finally said in agreement, “It is nice to have the whole family together.”

* * *

 

Later that night, when everyone had been kicked out and Tashi had settled into the chair that Russia abandoned, Nalin thanked him for coming to his side so quickly.

“I can always count on you,” Nalin said.

“I’m surprised that I got the call first.”

“Of course you did,” Nalin frowned at him, “You are my first emergency contact after all.”

“What about the others?”

“I trust you to know what to do more than anyone, Tashi,” Nalin sat up in bed, and waved him over. Tashi leaned forward and Nalin caught his hand in his own. Tashi relaxed into the touch, allowing himself to be comforted by this. His brother was back, honestly back and returned to him. That was enough, he was finding. “Who else but you would carry out my wishes? Who else but you could bring our family together for my sake?”

He almost asked about Russia, but found himself caught up in those warm eyes staring at him, and only seeing him. Russia wasn’t important now.

“As you say. It was easier than you think it was. They care about you, Nalin, in their own ways.”

“There are few things I know for certain. One of them is that you would make an incredible doctor, and second is that you care for me dearly. So excuse me if I remain shaken up over the fact that they came for me and no major wars came out of it.”

Tashi laughed, “You’re being overdramatic. There weren’t too many fights. Just a few tears.”

“Ah,” Nalin said, “I hope not from you at least.”

Tashi just sighed, and didn’t admit to anything. Nalin kissed the palm of his hand, and then just under his eye.

“Don’t cry for me. I’m not worth your tears.”

“I never said I cried for you. Besides, I care for you, so anything I do for you means that I see you as worthy of it.”

“Hearing that means a lot,” Nalin said. Tashi knew it did, which was partly why he had said it. It was fully what he tried to demonstrate it with his actions as well. Everything he did for Nalin was because he cared.

“Happy Birthday,” Tashi said, “I’ll give you your gift later.” Nalin just kissed the palm of his hand again.

**Author's Note:**

> Picture credits can be found on [South Asia Collective](aphsouthasia.tumblr.com)!  
> Artists are: cynfularts, professahwang, and the-crimson-scourge. 
> 
> Cynfularts drew the first photo, Rawk (professahwang) drew the Emran pictures, and Izzy (the-crimson-scourge) drew the rest.


End file.
